Cherub: Westlands
by headshot119
Summary: When Grey shirt agent James Lewis gets his first big mission, will he be able to complete the mission with out his feelings getting in the way.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Darkness**

James walked along the corridor that ran from his room to the main staircase, he was late, instead of taking his usual route into the canteen, he walked straight out of the front doors, and towards the education block.

When he arrived through the side doors he headed straight towards Science, and there she was Bethany Williams, just standing there, looking as beautiful as she always did.

Waking up was always the worst part of James' day, he hated it more than running round the assault course in a hail storm. When he had finally crawled out of bed he headed into his bathroom to have a shower.

After grabbing a quick bowl of breakfast, he headed out of his room down towards the education block, he was nervous and nearly walked straight in to his handler Meryl Spencer.

"Careful James."

"Sorry, I was ..."

"It doesn't matter James."

James kept walking, he entered the education block via a side door, he wanted to avoid a group of people he knew would be down the English corridor. His first class was Biology, taught by Miss Roberts, it wasn't th most exciting lesson ever but it was better than Welsh.

Miss always turned up late so James had about five minutes to chat to the group of kids waiting to go into class. He was just about to start talking to Will, when Emily, a girl who he'd become good friends with since he'd fallen out with his two ex-best mates.

She mouthed silently "I need to talk to you in French."

James nodded in reply. Just then he heard the voice of another one of the girls in his class, Beth's.

"So does he know that I know."

"No, and keep it quiet, I wasn't supposed to tell you." Lisa was stood talking to Beth just down the corridor.

"I know, I won't say anything." Came Beth's reply.

James' stomach dropped about five foot, she couldn't know, then his brain twigged what Emily was going to tell him. James fancied Beth, and had only told a couple of Beth's mates when she was away on a training exercise in Florida. They had all swore not to tell Beth until he was ready to ask her out, but Lisa had obviously not kept that promise. Worst of all he had to sit next to Lisa in Biology, why did his life always get so screwed up?

Lisa kept asking him what was wrong in biology, James tried to keep calm, since he'd fallen out with his two best mates he'd been having problems keeping his anger levels down, and the current situation with Lisa wasn't helping him. After managing to sit through Biology, he was glad when the bell went for break. Dashing out of class James went back to his room.

Most unusually the door to his room was open when he arrived, inside was his handler Meryl.

"Oh hi James, I'm just dropping off a mission prep schedule for you." Meryl was her usually cheery self, which just pissed James off even more.

"Ok, just leave it on my desk."

Meryl had sensed that something was wrong James, like most other kids on campus would have usually been excited that he'd be going on a mission.

"So whats wrong James."

"I don't know what you meen."

"Well it's obvious that somethings wrong, your not your usual cheery self."

"Yeh well, I'm not always going to be smiling."

"I'll leave you to it, and don't be late for your mission briefing."

"Don't worry I won't be."

As Meryl left the room James walked over to his desk where she'd left a large brown envelope. The standard pre-mission pack. He opened it and began to read.

Classified Mission Briefing

For James Lewis

Do NOT photocopy or make notes.

_The Mission:_

_Cherub has been called in to deal with the rising levels of teenage drug crime in the English town Torquay. Lately police have arrested several teenagers who have all been carrying large quantity's of street quality drugs, mainly crack cocaine, but some where carrying drugs such as LSD or heroin._

_The police have had no luck with tracking down leading members of this group. This is where Cherub comes in, two agents posing as cousins of a member of hotel staff will move in to Torquay under a cover story. As there fake Aunt works in a large hotel resort, and the fact she has no room in her flat to house the two agents, the agents will live for the duration of the mission in four rooms on the top floor of one of the hotels._

_The fake Aunt will not be a member of Cherub staff, as a shortage of mission controllers means the two agents will be working on there own, with only limited over site from a mission controller._

_The two agents will try and gain entry into the gang and unearth the leaders, and other useful information on who these drugs are being shipped into the country. The rest of the mission is simple, and follows the standard format for this mission type which agents should familiarize themselves with._

James read the briefing with interst, his first mission where he wouldn't be working with a mission controller full time, according to most of his friends who had been on this type of mission they where always fun and you usually ended up having a laugh with the other agents who are on the mission with you. James himself had never been on this type of mission and was quite looking forward it. The other more unusuall thing about the briefing was that it didn't say who the other agent was.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Time to Pack**

After break James headed over to the mission preparation building, this banana shaped building was an impressive site, the front was formed of sweeping glass windows while outside was a selection of satellite dishes and aerials.

The large corridor inside the building led him to John Jones' office, John was a bold headed man in his forties who had previously worked for MI5 before being offered a job as a mission controller at Cherub.

The office itself was very orderly with everything being labelled right down to the coffe mugs. The man himself sat behind a modern glass desk on which was a pile of papers and his MAC.

"Ah, James. Come in take a seat."

"Thanks John." James pulled up a chair, as he did so he picked up a brown folder sitting on the desk.

"Well this mission is pretty simple really, you'll ship out in five hours, your booked on the 16:07 train out of Birmingham New Street. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find a suitable agent to fill the other slot, so for the time being at least you'll be operating on your own. Nothing to dangerous, just setting up your equipment in the hotel."

"Ok, is that all there is to it."

"Pretty much, It's not a really big mission, but I've allocated plenty of technical equipment to you. It was delivered this morning to the hotel, you can set it up and make use of it however you see fit."

"Alright then, I better go and get packed."

"Oh and James, be careful out there."

"Don't worry I'll get back in one piece, don't worry."

Once again James was back in his room, there wasn't much packing to be done. He dragged a large suitcase down from the top of the wardrobe, inside there where clothes already packed. James had learnt over the past few months, you always get missions last minute, so always keep a case packed.

Ince the last of the clothes where packed away, he turned his attention to packing all the equipment he would need. The list itself had just spat out of his printer, it was not to long and he ticked off each item as it went into a seperate case.

Lock Gun (Including all attachments.)

Pepper Spray

Disposable cuffs

Electric tool kit

Hacker suite.

Card Key clone kit

Laptop

PDA

As soon as the last of the stuff was packed, he wheeled the two cases down the corridor to the lift. It was lesson time again, so the lift was empty, he rode right down to the ground floor, where after going out the front door, pur his cases into one of the pool cars.

A couple of minutes later James was being driven towards Birmingham a journey of about 100 miles, Meryl was in the drivers seat, she was off to visit a friend and had offered to give James a lift. As the pool car was registered to Cherub, Meryl knew she would never get a speeding ticket, so she bombed it down the motorway at 100MPH, it would take just under an hour to get to the station.

James dashed over the bridge which ran across the 12 platforms, after reaching the escalator to platform 7, he headed downwards, it would only be about five minutes before the train arrived so he stood waiting. Just then the station PA burst into life.

_"The train arriving at platform 7, is the 16:07 Cross country Super Voyager, to Paignton, a first class service is available to the front of the train in coach, A. A quiet coach os available to the rear of the train in coach E._

The yellow front of the trains came into view and eventually stopped in the platform, James jumped through the door of coach B and headed for his seat. Luckily Cherub had booked him a table seat, which would give him plenty of room to strtch out his legs.

It only took a couple of minutes for the train to pull away from the station, by which time James had settled down and was just going to get his Laptop out when a girl with a Manchester accent spoke.

"Is there anyone sitting here."

"Nah."

It took a couple of seconds for James to twig, he looked up and saw Beth sitting across from him. Oh shit he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

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**Chapter 3 **

**Emotion**

James just sat there starring, he couldn't believe that this was happening, why did he have to be on a mission with Beth. Although James fancied Beth, he was embarrassed now she knew he fancied her.

"Hey James."

"Hey Beth."

Beth sat there here long blonde hair blew gently away from the window, and she began to think, as far as anyone else knew, she didn't want a boyfriend, but inside that was changing, over the last few weeks she had begun to get to know James a lot more. She hadn't told anyone, but deep down inside she knew she like him, but had never been able to pursue it. Maybe now James fancied her, and there where on a mission together they could just see where things led.

She lent forward and took James hand gently. She looked straight at his deep blue eyes and spoke.

"James, I know you fancy me, and, well, err... , I've never really told anyone this, but over the past few weeks you've been hanging round with me and everyone else, and I've begun to like you, not just as a friend but more. Can we just see how things go, and maybe when the missions over get together properly?"

James just sat there looking stunned. "You really mean it?"

"Yes"

"Well what you just said is the best thing anyone's ever said to me."

"So is that a yes then?"

"Yes, it's definitely a yes."

Beth stretched her legs out over James knees, they just sat like that for what felt like hours, when Beth moved her legs.

"You alright?" James asked her.

"Yeh, I just want to go to the loo."

By the time Beth had managed to get down the carriage to the toilet, she came back and found James packing away there stuff. She looked out of the window and saw a sign reading "Torquay station."

"God are we there all ready?"

"Yeh, we better get going, don't want to end up missing our stop."

They just about managed to get off the train, just as they got down to the platform they heard the doors shut and the roar of the engine as it pulled away.

"So, how do we get to the hotel?"

"I told John we'd walk and just make it look like we're two normal kids going on holiday. It's only a five minute walk."

"Ok which way?"

"Turn left and walk up to those traffic lights, then take a right and then a left into the hotel complex."

"Come on then."

It didn't take the pair long to get to the hotel complex, unfortunately there were four hotels on the complex so it took a while for James to work out which way to go, when they eventually found the right hotel they headed for the reception.

The reception area had some nice sofas spread around for the guests to sit on and a large oak desk spread along the room. Beth and James approached the desk.

"Hi there." Beth put on her best good girl act for the occasion, while James did his best to look like trouble . "I'm looking for my Aunt."

The receptionist behind the desk looked up."Oh hi, you must be Beth and James, Tara said you'd be arriving today. She's working at the moment but she left me a message to tell you to go upstairs and make yourself at home."

"Thanks."

"No problem sweetie, here's your keys, your up on the fourth floor."

The pair left the reception area and headed to the lifts, the lift doors parted and a group of people walked oit, the pair dashed inside and pressed the button for the fourth floor. Once they got out of the lift they turned right and walked up a short flight of stairs, the four rooms here would form there base for the mission.

"Which room do you want?" James asked Beth.

"I think if we both take the first two rooms, we can use the others for the equipment."

"Ok. I'll just dump my bag and I'll go check out what John's left us."

Once James had dumped his bag, he walked back out of his room and headed left down the corridor, he swiped his card key in the slot for one of the empty rooms. Inside were a large stack of boxes against one wall, ranging from PC's to server racks, PDA's, Laptops and even an array of satellite dishes.

Beth came into the room. "God, I knew John said he'd allocated us a load of tech, but I didn't think he ment this much. I mean I haven't a clue how to use half of this stuff, never mind set it up."

"I know how to set it up, most of it anyway, I'm sure I'll figure out how to do the rest."

"Do you mind if I leave you to do it while I unpack?"

"Sure, I'll get to work on this lot."

James had a good rummage through all the boxes, the first thing he decided to do was to set up all the computers, there where five in total, the first two he planned to use for the day to day stuff, contacting Cherub, stuff like that. The other three where mounted in the server rack, this in turn was connected to six monitors, this beast would allow James to monitor listening bugs, CCTV, hack stuff, and tap into the phone lines.

The next few hours where spent setting all the other gear up, he mounted the satellite dishes on the balcony, being higher than all the buildings around them and the fact the balcony jutted quite far out from the building no one would see the dishes.

Beth, once she had finished un packing helped set up some mini- cameras inside and outside all there rooms, as well as the lifts. A difficult job as they couldn't do it while anyone was in the lifts, her solution was to stick out of order signs on all the doors, then using her lock gun she opened the door to the lift maintenance gantry, once the lift doors where jammed open she installed the cameras, then she took all the signs down and put the lift back into service.

As she entered the room the two rooms which now housed all there electronic equipment she saw James sitting by the large server rack, he beckoned her over.

"It's time we had a look at the proper briefing."

"Ok."

James double checked they where using a secure satellite link back to Cherub campus, before he entered his security password, the computer then asked for him to scan his retena, he did so and the campus computer system appeared on the screen. He opened the mission briefing file and began to read.

Classified mission briefing

for James Lewis and Bethany Williams

_The Mission overview:_

_Cherub has been called in to deal with the rising levels of teenage drug crime in the English town Torquay. Lately police have arrested several teenagers who have all been carrying large quantity's of street quality drugs, mainly crack cocaine, but some where carrying drugs such as LSD or heroin._

_The police have had no luck with tracking down leading members of this group. This is where Cherub comes in, two agents posing as cousins of a member of hotel staff will move in to Torquay under a cover story. As there fake Aunt works in a large hotel resort, and the fact she has no room in her flat to house the two agents, the agents will live for the duration of the mission in four rooms on the top floor of one of the hotels._

_The fake Aunt will not be a member of Cherub staff, as a shortage of mission controllers means the two agents will be working on there own, with only limited over site from a mission controller. _

_The cover story:_

_The fake aunt Tara, received a phone call from her sister, her sister was very distressed as her and her partner where going through a nasty divorce, she asked if Tara could look after her two kids for a while, Tara said she didn't mind so she arranged for them to live in four rooms on the top floor of the hotel she works in._

_As it's nearly the summer holidays in England, the two agents won't need to attend a local school._

_Both agents will assume the identity of James Hammond and Beth Hammond, both are distressed by there parents divorce and both tend to act up, James has been arrested for assault, and carrying class A drugs with intent to supply. Beth for carrying class C drugs with intent to supply. This background should perk the interest of leaders in the drug ring, as it shows that the two both have experience in the drug business._

_The mission:_

_The police have very little information on the drug ring, although they do no that most of the deliveries are made by teenagers between the age of twelve and eighteen years old, and that most of the couriers are recruited via a youth centre in the Acton area of Torquay._

_The two agents will need to begin attending the youth club and make friends with the local kid, with the aim of being recruited to become drug couriers._

_Unfortunately due to a rise in the number of missions lately, there is no mission controller able to take on this mission full time, it will be up to the agents to make the decisions and call in any resources they need._

"Well it seems simple enough doesn't it?" Beth said to James.

"Yeh it does, well I'm going to bed, it's nearly eleven and I'm knackered."

"Alright, I'll see you in the morning."


End file.
